Building covering



Dec. 26, 1933. E, R BLACK 1,940,936

BUILDING COVERING Filed Dec. 28, 1929 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Dec. 26, 1933. E.R. BLACK Y BUILDING covERIYN'e 5 Sheets-Sheet '2' i Filed D60.' 28. 1929aal/M15. zadc; W f 7m W ,Mg/5,

Dec. 26, 1933.

E. R. BLACK BUILDING COVERING Filed Dec. 28. 1929 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 io 5Y5 'lll/lll Dec. 26, 1933. E, R BLACK 1,940,936

BUILDING COVERING Filed Deo. 28. 1929 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Dec. 26, 1933.

E. R. BLACK BUILDING COVERING Filed Deo. 28. 1929 5( Sheets-Sheet 5Patented Dec. 26, 1933 1,940,936 BUILDING COVERING Edward R. Black,Chicago, Ill.,

Chicago, Ill.,

Systems Inc., Illinois assigner to Black a corporation o! ApplicationDecember 28, 1929. Serial No. 417,202

16 Claims.

My invention relates that is, to the weatherproof protective coveringsthat are applied to the outside walls and roofs of buildings, usually inthe form of individual or multiple shingles or in strip `form, such asthe so-called froll roofing or as siding.

Such types and forms otbuilding coverings, usually made from flexiblewaterproof material consistingr of asphaltumv compound impregnated paperstock or feltsometimes with and sometimes without a protective anddecorative coat of crushed stone or other resistant materialhave been inpopular and increasing favor for some years. Up to the present time,however, the application or laying of such types and forms of coveringshas been fraught with diniculties and expense. The time `consumed. andthe labor involved in applying the coverings have been excessive, andthe desired and proper results are often missed, even aftervthe closestattention and inspection. In difficulties heretofore encountered havebeen due to the fact that the progressive application or laying oicovering units was gauged or determined wholly or partly by units thathad been laid or placed and, in consequence, even slight variations inthe size or shape of units might and often did, become cumulative. Thus,for example, the manufacturing tolerances that must be permitted in theeconomic production oi covering units from such materials as areordinarily used are so great that, while individually they are of noconsequence whatever, still, ii they cumulate because of the position oione unit depending upon the next immediately preceding it and thatpreceding one upon the one before and so on, the final result may be soineiiective or unsightly that the whole job may have to be done over orelse a dissatisiied customer is created.

One oi the objects of my invention is to cheapen and facilitate theapplication of building covering units made from ilexible preparedrooilng materials of ordinary andapproved types.

Another object is to provide a method oi applying building coveringunits wherein variations in dimension oi the units or in their locationsdo not become cumulative and thereby bring about either appearance oroperation that'is objectionable.

Another object is to rangement whereby a may be applied simultaneouslyin tive relation.

Another object is to provide improved equipprovide a method andarplurality of vcovering units proper relato lbuilding coverings;`

large measure the ment for properly positioning and holding a pluralityoi units upon a building structure.

Another object is to provide a method and equipment for applyingbuilding covering units.

Another object is to provide an improved building covering unitparticularly adapted for, although not exclusively useful with, myimproved method and equipmen Other objects and advantages willhereinafter appear. i v 65 Several embodiments of equipment suitable forcarrying out the above objects are disclosed in the accompanyingdrawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a top plan of a series of shingle units coordinated in mypreferred way `i'orsimultane-Y?G ous application to the building;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged section on of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a rear plan view of` the preferred embodiment of my invention;'I5 Fig. 4 is a plan oi a unit in the term of a roofing shingle of mypreferred embodiment, as cut from a sheet of prepared roofing material;

Fig. 5 shows a plan of the shingle of Fig. 4 with the lower cornerturned under preparatory to assembly with other similar units beforeappli` cation to the building;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged perspective of a small portion of the positioningand anchoring strip whereby a plurality of units may be applied to andanchored upon the building structure;

Fig. '7 shows a plan oi a roof illustrating the application oi.' unitsin the form of shingles and their appearance when laid;

Fig. 8 is a similar view of the application to the side of a building ofunits in the form oi strips or' siding;

Fig. 9 is a front plan of a modified arrange@- ment for assembling andsin'uiltaneouslyl applying a. plurality of units in the form ofshingles:

Fig. 10 is an enlarged section on the line iii-10 of Fig. 9;

Fig. 11 is a rear elevation of lthe arrangement illustrated in Figs. 9and 10;

Fig. 12 is an enlargedfperspective o! a portion of the positioningstripshown in'Flgs. 9, 10, and 11; v

Fig. 13 is n. section on the line 1.8-13 of Fig. 12;

Fig. 14y isanother modified amusement for assembling'and simultaneouslyapplying a plurality of units in the form of shingles; i

Fig. 15 is a section on the line 15--15 of Fig. 14:

Fig. 16 is a rear elevation of the modification shown in Figs. 14 and15;

Fig. 17 is an enlarged pers the "line 2M? tive ofa portion of thepositioning strip shown in Figs. 14, 15 and 16;

Fig. 18 is a front elevation of another modified arrangement; and

Fig. 19 is a section on the line 19-19 of The term unit as hereinafteremployed embraces all of the usual basic forms of building coverings,such as individual, multiple and strip shingles, so-called roll roofingand siding. 'Ihe term aggregate as hereinafter employed contemplates aplurality or series of such units positioned in proper verticaloverlapping relationship by one or more gauging strips. Although, asjust stated, my invention is applicable to a much broader field, theaccompanying drawings and following description will be largely coniinedto the showing and explanation of the invention as employed in thecovering of a building with units in the form of individual shingles.From such a showing and explanation the underlying principles of myinvention will be more readily understood and their applicability to andutilization with the other forms of coverings will be at once apparentto those skilled in the art.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 6, the aggregate comprises a plurality of unitsin the form of individual shingles 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, etc. and apositioning and anchoring strip 30 to which the units are attached aswill be presently explained.

The preferred form of shingle unit is shown in detail in Figs. 4 and 5,although, of course, other forms may be used. It is cut in substantiallysquare shape, as shown in Fig. 4, from a strip of ordinary preparedexible roofing material of the desired thickness, character and nish. Inthe cutting process the upper corner is removed and a small notch 31 ismade in the upper at or tip edge of the shingle unit. In the verticalcentral region near the lower corner a U-shaped slit 32 is cut throughtheshingle, the ends of the two parallel branches of the slitterminating at the fold line a-b. Then the lower corner 33 is turnedunder along the fold line a-b. When the lower corner has been thusturned under the small tongue 34 formed by the slit 32 remainsprojecting downwardly in its original position' in the Vplane of theunit body and the iinished shingle assumes the form illustrated in Fig.5. At the same time, the folding of the shingle on the line a-b leaves asmall recess 35, the complement of tongue 34, in the underturned corneror tab 33, such recess opening at the butt of the shingle and lyingwholly in the plane of the underturned tab. Thus the butt recess extendsinwardly from the fold forming the butt edge of the unit and is exposedat the rear surface of the unit for ready application to the anchorage(such as the positioning and holding strip hereinafter described)although it is unexposed at the front surface of the unit. With thisbutt recess so formed and positioned the tab of the shingle may bequickly hooked to and engaged by a very slightly elevated projectionmerely by sliding the shingle thereagainst. The lower edge or butt ofthe shingle is therefore of double thickness,-a characteristic that ishighly desirable in improving the appearance of a nished roof and instrengthening the exposed lower or butt edge of the shingle units.

The positioning and anchoring strip 30 may be formed in various ways andfrom a variety of materials but I prefer to use galvanized iron of about26 or 28 gauge and 1A to 1/2 inch wide. It may be long enough to reachfrQm the eave t0 the ridge of a building roof but I prefer to form it ofuniform lengths of aboutI eight or ten feet, or even smaller, whichmaybe joined in any suitable manner to reach from the eave to the ridge. Byusing such uniform or standard lengths, manufacture, packing, shippingand fabrication are facilitated and the completed aggregates are of asize that is easy to handle on the job where application is to be made.

At regular recurring intervals strip 30 is bent into a downwardlyopening loop 36 and an upwardly directed hook 37, the lower or open endof each loop lying to the rear of the lower or closed end of a hook. Theloops 36 are for receiving the upper ends or tips of the shingle unitswhile the hooks 37 are for anchoring and gauging the positions of thelower ends or butts of the shingle units. Each hook 37 terminates in aninwardly and downwardly directed barb 38. A shingle unit is positionedand anchored on the strip 30 by forcing its tip or upper edge upwardlyinto a loop 36. When the tip reaches its proper position the end of theloop is received in notch 31 of the shingle tip and the upper end of theshingle unit is held against lateral displacement by the engagement ofthe edges of notch 31 and the closed end of a strip loop 36. With theshingle in this position it is slightly ilexed and recess 35 in the tab33 is brought into register with the open end of hook 37. Thereupon whenthe shingle straightens out so as to lie fiat against the strip, thehook 37 enters recess 35 in the butt of the shingle and the shingle maybe pulled downwardly very slightly until barb 38 snaps behind the edgeof tab 33, as most clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 6, whereupon the shingleis rmly anchored and locked in position on the strip, its tip being heldin one of the loops 36 thereof and its butt held by the next lower hook37. In like manner the placing and anchoring of shingles to the stripcontinues until the desired aggregate is produced, each aggregateconsisting of a series of shingles attached to a positioning andanchoring strip in the vertically overlapping relationship assumed whenin final position on the roof.

Although, as will be obvious, strips 30 may be rst attached in properposition on the building to be covered and the units subsequentlypositioned and anchored thereto as previously described, I contemplatethat the units may be associated with their anchoring and positioningstrips prior to the application of the latter to the building; theaggregate thus produced being placed as an entirety. This latter methodof procedure will now be described.

Fig. 7 illustrates the method of applying the aggregates of shingleunits to the roof of a building and the appearance of the roof after theshingles are laid thereon. The covering is begun by. applying an eave orstarting strip 40 along the eave of the roof in the usual way.Ordinarily this strip is composed of and cut from a sheet of materialsimilar to that composing the shingle units and it may be anchored inplace by any of the usual approved ways, as by roofing nails. Theshingle units of the rst or left hand aggregate are cut vertically alongor adjacent their median lines so as to present vertical edges ofapproximately half the lengths of the shingles along the left hand orbeginning vertical roof edge. Then the .although, if the aggregates arehalf the maximum lateral shingle width. These marks serve to locate orgauge the proper positions of the top and bottom ends of the aggregateholding and positioning strips 30 throughout the subsequent laying ofeach vertical row or group of shingle units. The necessary verticaldisplacement or stepping of the units of adjacent vertical groups oraggregates is effected by positioning the anchoring hooks of alternatestrips vertically midway between the hooks of the adjacent strips.

In applying the roof covering the aggregates or vertical shingle unitgroups are shown as being positioned successively from left to right,the upper and lower ends of each holding and positioning strip beingproperly located horizontally by the successive gauge marks along thestarting strip and ridge and vertically by the staggering of the hooks.Thus the workman locates an entire vertical row of shingle unitssimultaneously, all of the shingles constituting each row beingvertically overlapped in precisely the relationship assumed thereby whenin final position on the roof. If the vertical length of the roof is notexcessive each aggregate may constitute a single length of gauging andholding strip and associated shingle units extending from eave to ridge,fabricated in standard lengths as previously explained, several may bejoined together to span the distance from eave to ridge, particularly ifthat distance is so great that the aggregate, if fabricated as anentirety, would be unwieldy. The horizontal overlap of the shingle unitsof adjacent vertical rows or aggregates is properly and very accuratelydetermined individually for each vertical row by fastening the gaugingand anchoring strips to the roof framework in the locations determinedby the gauge marks along the eave and ridge.

pose. If the space from eave to ridge is very short no intermediatefastening of the gauging and anchoring strips may be necessary. However,it will be an easy matter for the workmen to raise the butts of shingleunits wherever desired and provide whatever intermediate fastenings mayseem to be required, by nailing to the roof framework the strip or somepart of the under lying shingle that' will be covered when thetemporarily raised shingle butt is again hooked down' by its associatedhook 37. As the succeeding vertical rows or aggregates are located andanchored in proper horizontal overlapping relation or, if desired, afterthe entire or any desired amount of the roof covering has been applied,the shingles of immediatelyv preceding rows or aggregates may beslightly elevated to permit the placing thereunder of the lateral edgesof the shingle units of succeeding rows thaty should be overlapped inthe nished roof. It will, of course, be understood that the aggregatesmay be equally well applied from right to left.

When the shingle units are in proper position upon the associatedlocating and anchoring'strip 30 the lower bends 39 of hooks 37 serve asshoulders to prevent the shingles from becoming vertically displaced.This condition is very clearly illustrated in Fig. 2. In this conditionthe small projecting tongues 34 extend downwardly beyond the lower ends39 of hooks 37 and serve to insure that the hook is adequately coveredand concealed.

From the foregoing description it will be obvious that I have provided ahighly advantageous method and arrangement for quickly and inexpensivelyand properly applying a building. coveach shingle unit is ering. Theunits are laid in groups wherein, either at the factory orL at the job,the proper vertical spacing for insuring the desired vertical overlap isvery accurately and positively obtained. There is no necessity for theworkman to measure or use his judgment in `spacing the shingle units toinsure the desired vertical voverlap. Likewise the. desired horizontaloverlap may be very quickly and accurately determined and, when theproper gauge marks have been laid out at the ridge and eave portunityfor error. 'I'he gauge marks may be laid out by the foreman or otherskilled workmen and thereafter the proper positioning of the shingles ispractically automatic and requires no exercise of judgment or skill. Theposition of the units is not determined by units previouslyI laid,either vertically or horizontally, so that variations in size cannotbecome cumulative. And the lock or anchorage between each shingle unitand its associated positioning and anchoring strip permits enoughmovement to take care of expansion and contraction due to heat and cold.This movement will be extremely small because it is eiected only by thecontraction and expansion of a single small unit, each unit beingabsolutely independent of all the others. The method and equipment lendsitself admirably to the laying of color designs on the roof with noreasonable chance of mistake because units of the desired color and inproper relationship may be associated with the proper positioning andanchoring strips. This assembly of aggregates to give any desired colorscheme or design may be done entirely at the factory or on the ground atthe job by a skilled workman, after which no particular skill about thedesired result in the roof. All it is necessary to do is to insure thatthe workmen on the roof receive the aggregates or vertical group in theproper sequence.

Fig.'8-shows how my invention is applicable to covering units in theform of siding strips. The lower edge of each siding strip 45`is turnedunder and back, the strip having been slitted before turning, aspreviously explained 'in connection with a shingle unit, to provide thenecessary and properly spaced recesses for receiving the hooks 37 onpositioning strips 30. These strips, at properly gauged intervals arenailed to the side Wall framework of the building structure and, inconsequence, the siding strips which are anchored thereto in propervertical overlapping relationship, are properly and practicallyautomatically positioned on the wall in the de'- sired positions.

Figs. 9 to 13 show a 'modified arrangement of shingle units andassociated locating and anchoring strip for producing the aggregates.According to this arrangement the shingles 45, 46, 47,

48, etc. are in effect hung upon shoulders provided at equally andproperly spaced distances along a positioning and anchoring strip 49. Atthe proper intervals along the strip hooks 50 are struck up therefrom toshoulders 51 which support the shingle units. A short distance beloweach hook 50 a vertically or longitudinally arranged n 52 is struck upfrom strip 49. Each shingle unit may have its upper and lower cornerscut of! Figs. 9 and 11, although if desired the lower corner may beturned back and under to provide a double thickness butt as previouslydescribed. Near the upper horizontal or tip edge provide the holding eprovided with a substan-v there is practically no opis required to bringas clearly indicated in tially T-shaped slot or slit having a transversebranch 53 for receiving the corresponding hook 50 of the associatedaggregate locating and anchoring strip 49 and a vertical branch 54adapted to receive the corresponding vertical fin 52.

In assembling an aggregate according to this modification of myinvention the requisite number of shingles are threaded upon hooks 50whereby the units are located and anchored upon the strip in the desiredvertical overlapping relation to be assumed by the units when `inposition on the roof. At the same time the vertical ns 52 of strip 49are inserted through the vertical slits 54 and thereby the shingles areheld against lateral displacement.

The aggregates or vertical shingle groups, after being properlyassembled in accordance with this modification, may be applied andanchored to the roof framework of the building in precisely the samemanner as hereinbefore described. If it is desired to use the stripsmerely to locate the shingles and not permanently to anchor them inplace, the shingles may be permanently nailed or otherwise secured tothe roof the anchorage for each shingle being located far enough abovethe butt to be adequately covered by a unit of the next higher course orhorizontal Y row, and then the strips removed by drawing them outdownwardly toward the eave. The strips may then be used againtemporarily to form other aggregates for subsequent application furtheralong the roof. The slight tearing or cutting of the shingles where thehooks 50 are pulled through the small margins of material between slits53 and the upper edges of the shingle units is of no consequence.

Figs. 14 to 17 illustrate another modified arrangement wherein it isunnecessary to perforate the shingles and the anchoring hooks in thepositioning strip are dispensed with. According to this arrangement thepositioning strip is bent upon itself at regularly recurring andproperly spaced intervals to provide loops or sockets 50 into which thetips of corresponding shingles 51, 52, 53, 54, etc. may be inserted andfrictionally held in position While being applied to the roof framework. The closed ends of the loops serve as the unit locating shoulderswhereby, when the units are forced into position to the limit of theirmovement they are arranged in proper vertical* overlapping relation.With this arrangement the locating strip anchors merely the upper edgeoi.' each shingle and only frictional engagement is depended upon tohold the shingle against vertical displacement. Consequently when thismodified arrangement is employed it will be necessary or advisable,ordinarily, to nail each shingle to the roof independently of itsassociated positioning strip. This can be read- 'ily done by merelyslightly and temporarily elevatingthe lower or butt ends of theoverlying shingles while nails are driven through 'the underlying courseor overlapped shingles in locations that will be covered when thesuperposed shingle is permitted again to lie at upon the roof.

This modification readily lends itself to the application of inexpensivecoverings where the expense of permitting the locating stripspermanently to remain in position might be prohibitive. Thus, afterseveral aggregates with their associated vertically overlapping shinglesare laid and nailed in position, the holding strips, having served theirpurpose of properly gauging the vertical overlap oi adjacent shingleunits in the vertical rows, may be removed by pulling them out upwardlytoward the eave of the roof. Thereupon the locating strips may haveadditional shingle units applied thereto and be used againI to formaggregates further along the roof.

Figs. 18 and 19 illustrate a still further simplified arrangementwherein the aggregates may be formed by securing the shingle units inproper vertically overlapped relation merely by fastening the same tothe associated strip by such simple means as nailing, riveting orVadhesion. Thus the locating and anchoring strip 55 has the shingle units56, 57, 58, 59, etc. attached thereto along their median lines and inproper vertically overlapped relation merely by the application of aproper adhesive between the strip and the shingle units. The stripsforming the aggregate foundations may be made of metal, as in the caseof the arrangements previously described, in which event it may be thebetter plan slightly to step or corrugate the same, as clearly indicatedin Fig. 19, so that the plane of the upper surface of a shingle tip willsubstantially correspond to the plane of the lower side of theoverlapping shingle. The several bends or steps 60 likewise 100 serv-eas shoulders for determining accurately each shingle unit to insure theproper overlapping relationship. This arrangement readily` lends itself`to the use of such inexpensive materials as the rooiing material orother fabric or even heavy paper for the making of the locating andholding strips.

Having thus illu'strated and explained the nature and several typicalembodiments of my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by UnitedStates Letters Patent is as follows:

1. A building covering aggregate comprising a metallic strip having aseries of equally spaced loops for receiving the tips of covering unitsand a series of equally spaced hooks for engagement with the butts ofshingles, the spacing between loops and between hooks being such as tohold a plurality of covering units in the overlapping relationship to beassumed when positioned on a roof, and a plurality of building coveringunits i910 made of flexible prepared roofing material, each such unitbeing held to the strip by one of the loops and one of the hooks.

2. A positioning and anchoring strip for receiving and holding aplurality of independent building covering units whereby the same may besimultaneously applied to a building in proper overlapping relation,comprising a metallic strip formed with a plurality of unit engagingshoulders spaced apart sumciently to locate adjacent units in propervertically overlapping relation.

3. A positioning and anchoring strip for holding a plurality of buildingcovering units in the vertically overlapping relationship to be assumedwhen in position on the building and whereby such units may besimultaneously applied to the building, comprising a metallic stripformed with a plurality oi hooks and a plurality of open loops, all ofthe loops and all of the hooks being equally spaced at distancesinsuring the overlap of units applied thereto, and a barb for each hookto lock against displacement the unit engaged by the associated hook.

4. A building covering comprising a plurality of vertically arrangedholding strips provided with unit holding hooks arranged at spacedintervals therealong; and a series of covering units for each suchstrip, each unit comprising a sheet of iiexible rooiing material foldedalong one edge to form a turned-under tab, the turned-under tab l5(`having a recess opening into-the junction between such tab and the bodyof the sheet whereby one of said hooks may engage the tab to anchor theunit to a strip.

5. The method of applying to a building structure a covering composed ofseparate independent units of covering material, which includes thesteps of first forming an aggregate by hooking a plurality of the unitsto a positioning strip in the vertically overlapping relation to beassumed thereby when nally positioned on the building, then applying tothe building structure a plurality of such aggregates.

6. The method of applying to a building structure a covering composed ofseparate independent units of covering material, which includes thesteps of first forming an aggregate by applying a plurality of the unitsto a positioning strip formed to gage the vertically overlappingrelation the units are to assume when finally positioned on thebuilding, and then applying to the building structure a plurality ofsuch aggregates' with the units of adjacent aggregates horizontallyoverlapping.

7. A building covering aggregate for simultaneously applying a pluralityof building covering units, comprising a positioning and anchoring stripprovided with a plurality of unit holding hooks, the spacing betweenadjacent hooks being such that units held thereby are associated in thevertically overlapping relation to be assumed vthereby on the building,and a separate independent unit of roofing material held by each hook.

8. A building covering unit comprising a sheet of weatherproof coveringmaterial having one edge folded under the body thereof and having anaperture in the folded under portion. said aperture opening into andextending inwardly from the fold.

9. A building covering comprising a plurality of anchoring strips eachhaving a loop and a hook spaced apart to receive and anchor respectivelythe tip and butt of a covering unit, and a plurality of weatherproofcovering units held by the loops and hooks of the anchoring strips.

10. A building covering comprising a plurality of holding strips, eachholding strip having a series of equally spaced loops and equally spacedhooks along one surface thereof, to receive and covering units in properand a series of covering each unit comprising having a hook hold aplurality of overlapping relation, units for each such strip, a sheet ofweatherproof material receiving aperture extending inwardly from oneedge thereof.

11. A building covering comprising a plurality of holding strips, eachholding strip having a series of equally spaced hooks for anchoring thebutts of covering units applied thereto, and a series of covering unitsfor each such strip, each unit comprising a sheet of weatherproofmaterial having an aperture extending inwardly from one edge andunexposed at the face thereof, the aperture serving to receive a hook ofa holding strip and thereby anchor the butt of the unit without exposingthe anchor strip.

12. A building covering aggregate comprising a holding strip providedwith equally spaced means for engaging and anchoring the butts of aplurality of covering units applied thereto, and a series of coveringunits for said strip, each unit comprising a sheet of weatherproofmaterial having an aperture extending inwardly from one edge andunexposed at the face thereof, the aperture serving to receive one ofsaid spaced means on the holding strip and thereby anchor` the butt ofthe unit without exposing the strip.

13. A building covering unit-comprising a sheet of weatherproof coveringmaterial one edge of which forms the butt edge of the unit, said unithaving an aperture in its under surface opening into said butt edge andextending inwardly from said edge.

14:. A building covering unit comprising a sheet of weatherproofcovering material having one edge folded under the body thereof andhaving an aperture in the folded under portion, said aperture openinginto and extending inwardly from the fold, and a tongue extendingoutwardly from the body of the unit in line with the aperture.

15. In combination, a flexible shingle having a bent under corner flapwith an aperture at the lower edge of said flap, a fastener having ahook portion adapted to hook into said aperture, the hook portion beingoffset from the body of the fastener and the body of said fastener beingadapted for attachment to a building to be covered.

16. In combination, a building covering unit formed from a sheet ofcovering material having a bent under apertured flap at one edgethereof, and a fastener having a hook portion adapted to hook into theaperture of the flap, the hook portion being offset from the `body ofthe fastener and the body of the fastener being adapted for attachmentto a building to be covered.

EDWARD R. BLACK.

